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Reporting on the state of education in your community and across the country.

Critics Claim Charter School Millions Wasted

Steve Dyer, of Innovation Ohio’s Know Your Charter, in downtown Columbus. (Andy Chow / Statehouse Bureau)

by Andy Chow

A liberal-leaning charter school critic says the federal government has put nearly $30 million into charter schools that have either closed or never opened in the first place. 

A report from Innovation Ohio’s Know Your Charter says a state panel that distributed the millions of dollars was made up of members from different charters that ended up getting the funds.

Know Your Charter’s Steve Dyer says improving this system needs to be a team effort.

Dyer: “The state and the feds. The feds need to exercise oversight to ensure that the state does not set up this self-serving group of people who’re deciding who gets the money.”

The Ohio Department of Education issued a response saying that there is now more accountability in the charter school system thanks to new laws passed last year.

The state is expected to get a new pot of funds from the feds totally about $71 million.